WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg today announced $133,000 for Montana State University’s Technology Based Economic Development Center. The funding was included in the House Financial Services Appropriations Subcommittee bill for Fiscal Year 2010.

"Developing the technology of tomorrow will provide good jobs in Montana today," said Rehberg, a member of the House Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee. "In a global market R & D is a matter of economic survival and these funds will help keep Montana on the cutting edge."

The Technology Based Economic Development Center provides a broad array of support services to high technology businesses. The business development center will support development of new businesses and high-paying jobs, and will help retain well-educated students in the state of Montana.

"MSU sincerely appreciates the funding Congressman Rehberg has designated in the Financial Services Appropriations Bill for The High Technology Assistance Program at Montana State University," said Tom McCoy, Ph.D. and Vice President for Research at Montana State University. "This funding will assist in providing access to the Montana Micro-fabrication Facility, a user facility that houses expensive specialized equipment that is used by not only university researchers but also by employees of high-tech small businesses in Montana. This equipment is used to produce materials and devices for use in high technology applications such as optoelectronics, pharmaceuticals, genomics and alternative energy development."